The storybook version of America as a shiny “city upon a hill” where religious tolerance attracted European settlers who were free to practice their faith is a staple in history books and cited by politicians as one expression of America’s exceptionalism. The facts, though, portray an altogether different narrative of religious intolerance that began before the country’s founding and continues today. News of a mass murder in Afghanistan by a U.S. soldier that killed at least 16 civilians in their homes has brought a rash of Islamophobic comments on conservative websites that show a deep-seated hatred toward Muslims and extended to President Obama and African Americans.

It is not surprising that the worst Islamophobic comments were lodged on Fox News’ website after they demonized Muslims as terrorists out to destroy America. The long history of intolerance from Fox News’ talking heads is well-documented and began shortly after the terror attacks on 9/11 and ramped up during the controversy over an Islamic Center near Ground Zero in 2010. Without giving credence to the vile comments on Fox and other conservative websites, suffice it to say that a recurring theme was “a dead Muslim is a good Muslim” along with calls to give the alleged murderer a “hero’s welcome” and “pardon that soldier.” A large percentage of Fox News’ commenters were livid that President Obama apologized for the massacre and accused him of being a terrorist sympathizer and that he hated America’s military. However, the commenters seamlessly transitioned to racist remarks aimed at President Obama that reflect many American’s belief that the President, besides being a Muslim and a terrorist sympathizer, is not an American.

One might conclude that the commenters do not reflect the sentiments of many Americans, but a recent poll of Mississippi voters revealed that 52% of GOP voters say the President is a Muslim and in Alabama, 45% designated him as a Muslim. The notion that the President is a Muslim is rampant in the Deep South and little wonder. Republican presidential hopeful, Rick Santorum questioned President Obama’s Christian faith in February asserting that his White House decisions are driven by a “different theology” and “not a theology based on the bible.” A couple of days later, evangelist Franklin Graham questioned the President’s Christianity when he said he could not be sure “Obama was not a Muslim.” Graham continued that, “All I know is under Obama, President Obama, the Muslims of the world, he seems to be more concerned about them than the Christians,” and “”Islam sees him as a son of Islam… I can’t say categorically that [Obama is not Muslim] because Islam has gotten a free pass under Obama.”

The implication that the President is a Muslim is a calculated strategy to portray him as an interloper and “not one of us” good Americans that conservatives have imputed since the 2008 election. Many of the commenters on Fox News’ website connected the massacre in Afghanistan to a coming race war with remarks such as, “this is nothing! Wait until you see what happens to the n-word here in the US of A when the new civil war starts” and “this guy (soldier) only did what the New Black Panthers promise to do to white babies.” The level of racial hatred and intolerance should be shocking in 21st century America, but after four years of innuendo and racist references aimed at African Americans and the President from conservatives, it is no surprise any longer. The GOP presidential hopefuls have all made not-so-coded remarks meant to impugn African Americans in particular, and President Obama by association. Many of the comments reflected the GOP candidate’s sentiments explicitly.

The racial hatred and religious intolerance displayed on the conservative websites did not begin with an American soldier murdering Afghan civilians while they slept. There is a significant segment of the population that hold beliefs that only white Christians are real Americans and their ideology is especially prevalent among uneducated Americans searching out like-minded politicians and news organizations that support their white supremacist dogma. The lack of humanity most of Fox News’ commenters displayed at the news of the massacre is a symptom of conservative philosophy Republicans have parroted since the President first took office, and many of them assailed the President for apologizing to Afghans for the actions of one soldier.

There is no cure for people who do not countenance tolerance, and the hateful comments were not limited to anti-Muslim or racist remarks. One commenter found a connection to gay soldiers serving in the military revealing homophobia from Fox News devotees, and as of Sunday afternoon, there were over 2,200 vile comments aimed at Muslims, African Americans, and President Obama and they continued unabated. Although the racial and religious intolerance are not representative of all Americans, there is a subculture of hate that is growing in response to an African American in the White House and the GOP presidential hopefuls are inflaming the issue with their coded references to “taking America back” and “getting rid of Obama” to reclaim America’s greatness.

Americans must speak out against intolerance aimed at any group, but especially racial and religious bigotry. This country is exceptional, but for all the wrong reasons. It is irrelevant if it is racial bigotry, homophobia, or religious intolerance, America cannot progress when a large segment of the population is intent of regressing to a white Christian-only nation. The bigotry is shameful, but the inhumanity toward the murdered Afghans is despicable. However, what can anyone expect from despicable human beings who have been spoon-fed a perpetual diet of Islamophobia and racism from conservatives at Fox News and Republican presidential hopefuls?

From Islamophobia To Obama: The Right’s Growing Subculture Of Hate was written by Rmuse for PoliticusUSA.

Audio engineer and instructor for SAE. Writes op/ed commentary supporting Secular Humanist causes, and exposing suppression of women, the poor, and minorities. An advocate for freedom of religion and particularly, freedom of NO religion.
Born in the South, raised in the Mid-West and California for a well-rounded view of America; it doesn't look good.
Former minister, lifelong musician, Mahayana Zen-Buddhist.

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12 Responses to From Islamophobia To Obama: The Right’s Growing Subculture Of Hate

crystalwolfakacaligrl

Tue, Mar 13th, 2012 at 8:08 pm

First of All the POTUS cares about ALL of the people in the USA and beyond.
The right has the NEED and Mistakenly puts everyone in a box.
Your a “lib” or a “Tree Hugger” or a “Muslim” or whatnot.
Game Change showed many people how Sarah Palin was picked for her “looks”
Not for her smarts.
We will not pick a POTUS b/c he is Christian or not.
That doesn’t/shouldn’t matter.
Senator√
Law Professor√
Constitutional Law Professor√
Cares about the Greater good√
Still trying hard to end two wars he inherited√
Holds his head high and gets the job done without QUITTING or WHINING about the ‘do nothing Congress’√
::OBAMA 2012::
Going for DEM SENATE & Congress as well and
Get rid off all blue dogs!

sherrie heckendorn

Tue, Mar 13th, 2012 at 8:57 pm

well said

Reynardine

Tue, Mar 13th, 2012 at 8:20 pm

I don’t know why Fox News isn’t designated a hate organization, and at this point, it wouldn’t be out of line to designate the Republicans a totalitarian party, or at the very least, their Teahadi wing. The domestic terrorism unit was dismantled in response to spoiled squalls from the right wing. I just hope *somebody* is the Hell watching.

A Walkaway

Tue, Mar 13th, 2012 at 8:32 pm

You’re pretty much right on target, Rmuse, except that this has been simmering below the surface since the 60s. Early on, the Klan learned to keep a low profile and hide who the real people were.

A real Klan leader might be behind the scenes, for instance organizing a railroading of an innocent black man on Friday, but then preaching from the pulpit on Sunday or counting bank receipts on Monday (or leaving on an international trade trip to get more big customers for his business). The upper echelons often were very careful what they said at all times and who they said it around… and often only interacted with a lower echelon (such as police officers or government bureaucrats) on occasion.

The hate has been simmering below the surface and like magma, trying to find a crack to get out (without consequences). When I was in business and they thought I was a “Good Ole (White) Boy” the masks would sometimes come off and I’d hear their real opinions and saw them for who they were. That is the real reason why it’s often hard for minorities to find employment (and why so many businesses seem rather, shall we say, pale). Oh… and when they learned I was Indian (after I’d been doing business with them for over 7 years), I lost over half (around 60%) of my customers in a month’s time.

They’ve wanted to put things back the way they had them in the early years, and I think that they think they’ll accomplish it with the present political climate.

Nomad

Tue, Mar 13th, 2012 at 8:41 pm

The double standards for Obama is evident every where you look. Take Rep. Jones’ resolution about Obama’s failure to obey the War Powers Act.

Pure fiction because no president has tried harder to keep to the limits and yet now there is pointless talk of impeachment. Silly and embarrassing.

The good news is that MOST Americans don’t think this way about our president. Most people like the Prez, and Michelle is a beloved First Lady. The bad news is that this intense hatred and ignorance, is coming from the base of one of our two main political parties. And as the polling in these southern state shows, it is in HUGE concentrated numbers. Those of us that live in Texas and the southern states are not surprised.

A Walkaway

Wed, Mar 14th, 2012 at 8:30 am

I hope you’re right… but what I read on the internet and in the news says that the hate is pretty much widespread – just as racist bigotry is.

Ingarose

Tue, Mar 13th, 2012 at 11:24 pm

Like I mentioned on a previous post, this hate would only intensify if President Obama wins reelection but the Republicans keep the House and win the Senate.

SHARKSBREATH

Wed, Mar 14th, 2012 at 7:32 am

Bigotry is the only thing that unites the Republican party.

The day bigotry is dead in this country is the day the Republican party dies.

It’s not god or guns that make people vote against their interest.

It’s their bigotry that blinds them because they see the Democratic party as helping the less fortunate.

Not realizing anyone who is not rich is the less fortunate. Which would include most Republicans. And especially those that live in the south.

They are dirt poor, unhealthy and uneducated.

And Cooter will be damned if the socialism in this country helps those people when it helps him the most.

It’s gotten to the point that we should no longer consider Conservatism a political party but a mental illness.

If you have the ability to somehow hate or blame everyone else for exactly what you yourself are doing. Your probably insane.

A Walkaway

Wed, Mar 14th, 2012 at 8:34 am

Ah, but they’re taught that they are responsible for everything, EVERYTHING that happens to them. That is such a ubiquitous message that I even got it from a supposedly liberal Episcopal church (long since steeplejacked).

They’re brainwashed into thinking that nobody else BUT themselves can be to blame… so they don’t look at the rich, or the Republicans, and certainly not to their preachers/priests/pastors.

r johnson

Thu, Mar 15th, 2012 at 1:18 am

“….Franklin Graham questioned the President’s Christianity …“ Islam sees him as a son of Islam…””

Grahams Sheer ignorance would be amusing if it wasn’t so hate based. How convenient of him to forget that Islam is a Very great admirer of Jesus? So why wouldn’t they admire a president that Doesn’t Hate automatically & unthinkingly the way the fanatical right does.